Biltmore Hats

The Biltmore story began, not in Guelph, but in Niagara Falls. John Fried founded the company in 1917 as the Fried Hat Co. The company did not last long in Niagara Falls and a move to Toronto was similarly short-lived. In 1919, the Fried Hat Company moved to Guelph. In April 1920, Fried sold the business to a group of three Guelph men led by Frank Ramsay. The new partners changed the name of the company to Biltmore Hats in homage to the luxurious hotel of that name in New York City where Ramsay had stayed on a buying trip. To the new owners, the name suggested the elegance they wanted associated with their product. They are a team driven by a passion for the industry and dedicated to continuing to bring new designs and products to the marketplace.